Charles F.T. Knight was born in 1911 at Southwater one of eight children of thirty-six year old carter, Edward James Knight and his wife Ellen Eliza Burchell
who lived at Little Coltstaple, 2, Magpie Cottage, Sedgwick Lane, Horsham
They married on 14th January, 1905 at Nuthurst where the other children were born
During the Second World War Charles joined the armed forces and, after training, was posted as a gunner to 182 Battery, Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. At least three of Charles' brothers are known to have served in the armed forces during the Second World War
On the 15th May 1941 Charles was a gunner serving with 182 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery stationed on Orkney. The unit was part of the northern defence equipped with 3.7 inch (mm) guns and, after being relieved by another unit, was making preparation to transfer to Birmingham on the mainland. During the voyage their ship, SS. Archangel, was attacked by enemy aircraft 10 nautical miles
(19 km) north of Aberdeen. Of the 475 on board 52 were lost in the attack including Gunner C.F.T. Knight. The badly damaged vessel was finally beached 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) south of Newburgh, at Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire and broke into four separate sections.
SS. Archangel was built in 1910 at John Brown, Clydebank as a ton ferry and from 1923 was operated by the L.N.E.R. railway until requisitioned by the Admiralty in WW2 as a troop ship. At the time of her attack she was carrying 40 tons of military equipment and 400 troops
1636967, Gunner Charles F.T. Knight died in the early hours of Saturday the 17th May, 1941. It was reported that, when he was sailing to the mainland, possibly on leave, his ship was bombed by enemy aircraft and he died in the attack. This account of his death has been substantiated from Firepower records, archivist Paul Evans. Charles Knight's body would have been brought ashore when recovered from the wrecked vessel for internment in Aberdeen Cemetery. He is buried in Section 8, joint Grave 10 at the Aberdeen (Trinity) Broadhill Extension Cemetery, Aberdeen, Scotland. The cemetery lies at the end of Errol Street within the city, between King Street (the original road to Old Aberdeen) and the sea. The Extension is divided from the main cemetery by Park Road, leading to the beach, and at the extreme eastern end of this is a plot laid aside which is reserved especially for the 75 identified military service personnel who lost their lives in the 1939 - 1945 War and are buried there. The name of C.F.T. Knight is not commemorated on the Horsham War Memorial which is located in the town centre.
There is no photograph of the cemetery on CWGC
Thanks to Gary Cooper "Horsham Heroes of World War II